Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Letter from Douglas Hudson to his parents

Writes that he has been busy helping new people to get settled. Mentions camp newspaper would now be impractical for some time. However they had found the negatives of photographs they took of the paper from which he has ordered some prints which he will send. Writes of photographs he sent in last letter. Mentions weather becoming gradually more bearable. Reiterates his delight at getting parcel and that another is on the way. Mentions receiving another letter and comments on news from this and other mail from them. Is glad his mail is arriving with them. Mentions Red Cross is splendid and of culinary efforts have been necessary.

1942-08-24

Two page handwritten letter

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EHudsonJDHudsonP-HE420824

Royal Air Force. 755052. Sgt. J. D. Hudson
c/o Consul General des Etats Unis.
Rue Michelet,
Alger. Algerie
Afrique du Nord

24-8-42

[inserted] Excuse the typewritten envelope, but I have neither pen nor ink available just at the moment]
My Dear Mother & Dad,

It is a few days since I wrote my last letter to you. I have not had much time during the past 72 hours with the arrival of the new people. You know, helping to get them settled & doing a bit on the old typewriter etc. I am afraid the “Camp Echo” will be more or less an impracticable proposition – at least for some time – but I am very pleased to tell you we found twelve negatives of the different shots we took of our “paper” which I thought were completely lost. I have ordered postcard size prints of each so hope to be able to send them along to you in the near future. In my last letter I enclosed two snaps of myself taken in bathing drawers, the same bathing draws I used to carry around the countryside in the good old days when I showed more ribs than I do now and less “tummy”. The weather is gradually becoming more bearable & today has been quite pleasant. Perfectly clear with a hot sun but cooling breeze. Far better than the cloudy oppressively hot weather which followed the recent

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thunderstorm. It is a great comfort to know that another Red Cross parcel is on its way. I was delighted to receive your first one on August 12th, completely intact. The lifebuoy is a blessing in disguise. Thank you for all the trouble you are taking to prepare these things. I think a big hand should be given to all relatives for their kind cooperation, or would a boot[?] be better. I received a letter from Mary yesterday in answer to one she received from me. Apparently Kenneth [indecipherable word] the Observer medical, but was contemplating ground duties. Your latest letter to arise was No. 65 dated July 27th. The only one missing is No. 11. which constituted a good record I think. I do hope my mail will continue to arrive as satisfactorily as during[?] July & early August in the future. This improvement certainly gives me encouragement to write. In the past I thought so often it was a [inserted] case [/inserted] of “loves labour lost”. I cannot tell you much to-day, this is not a very newsy letter. Yes we have our own “Galley” established & it has made an improvement to our food. The Red Cross have been splendid, & individual culinary efforts have not been necessary. Good bye until next letter. All my love as ever with thoughts & best wishes. Keep smiling. Douglas.